I Get Headaches Often: Can You Help?

Recurring headaches can drain your energy, disrupt your daily life, and have you looking for answers. Bradley A. Silva, MD, at Lakeshore Pain and Spine Center in Kenosha, Wisconsin, understands how debilitating frequent headaches can be, and is here to help you find long-term relief.

Understanding your headache type

Not all headaches are the same. That’s why an accurate diagnosis is the first step in managing your headaches. Dr. Silva takes the time to determine what type of headache you’re experiencing by evaluating your symptoms.

Common types he treats include:

Migraine disorder

These intense migraine attacks often come with nausea, light sensitivity, and throbbing pain on one side of the head. If you’re struggling with this headache type, you’re not alone. Migraine attacks affect over one billion people globally each year.

Everyone has a different experience with migraines. There are many different migraine triggers, including stress, smells, light, skipping meals, eating certain foods, and even hormonal shifts.

For chronic migraine attacks, Botox® injections can be highly effective. This FDA-approved treatment relaxes overactive muscles and reduces the frequency and severity of migraine attacks over time.

Occipital neuralgia

This type of headache disorder happens when the nerves in the back of your head and neck — your occipital nerves that carry messages from your brain to your scalp — become irritated. Many people describe this condition as shooting or burning pain.

Arthritis-related headaches

Believe it or not, arthritis can also contribute to headaches. Inflammation in your cervical spine (neck) can lead to headaches that worsen with neck movement. If you have arthritis-related headaches, Dr. Silva will go to the root of the problem — your arthritis — to help you find headache relief.

These are only a sample of headache disorders. Other types of headaches include:

Hormonal
Cluster
Tension
Traction
Medication overuse (rebound)

You might also experience headaches from dehydration or lack of sleep, though these typically resolve once you rehydrate or get adequate rest.

The bottom line is that each type of headache has a unique cause and may require a specific treatment approach, and that’s why diagnosis is our first step to helping you find headache relief.

Interventional treatment options that bring relief

If over-the-counter medications aren’t working or you want to avoid taking daily pain pills, Dr. Silva offers targeted, interventional solutions.

Depending on your diagnosis, Dr. Silva may also recommend:

Nerve blocks
Trigger point injections
Cervical spine evaluations
Guided physical therapy

Dr. Silva may also use a multifaceted approach to managing your headaches. For example, you may benefit from physical therapy, injections, and dietary modifications (especially if you have dietary migraine triggers.)

When to seek help for chronic headaches

If you get headaches more than a few times a month or if your pain is getting worse, it’s time to see a specialist. With Dr. Silva’s expertise — a double board-certified anesthesiology and pain medicine physician — you don’t have to live in constant discomfort or guess what’s causing your pain.

To schedule a comprehensive exam and explore headache treatment, call 262-484-4035. You can also click here to schedule an appointment in our Kenosha, Wisconsin, office.